Just lost a full day's pay on a bad coax crimper

Bought a cheap one online for $15, and it mangled every connector on a 12-unit apartment job. Had to redo everything with my old tool and eat the cost. Anyone know a crimper that actually holds up under daily use?

4 comments

4 Comments

emma3491mo ago

Check the crimper's die material. Cheap ones use soft metal that deforms after a few crimps, ruining the connector's fit. A hardened steel die is non-negotiable for daily work. My Klein crimper has lasted years because the die hasn't worn down.

jade2401mo ago

My buddy bought a cheap crimper and the die got all chewed up after a week, had to toss it.

kelly_henderson831mo ago

A week? That's insane. Jade240's buddy must have been crimping with a toy. My first cheap set looked like someone took a bite out of the die after maybe fifty connectors. Total waste of money and time. You can literally see the metal flake off. Emma's right, it's all about that hardened steel. Once you get a good one, you stop thinking about the tool completely.

nathanrobinson1mo ago

My uncle's old Belden crimper from the 90s is still in his van, and it works perfectly. That thing is a tank, which makes sense because like emma349 said, the die is everything. I guess they just don't build them like that anymore.